Training
& Consultancy:
Want to live aboard your own narrowboat, and/or extensively cruise the English Canals? Perhaps you would like a taste of what living aboard a private narrowboat (as opposed to a typical hire boat) is really like, before putting in a lot of money and effort. We can help! Our training and consultancy cruises are a very cost-effective option for those wannabe liveaboards.
Want to live aboard your own narrowboat, and/or extensively cruise the English Canals? Perhaps you would like a taste of what living aboard a private narrowboat (as opposed to a typical hire boat) is really like, before putting in a lot of money and effort. We can help! Our training and consultancy cruises are a very cost-effective option for those wannabe liveaboards.
One of our training and consultancy cruises could .......
- help you achieve advanced narrowboat handling skills;
- provide the consultancy aspects to help with setting your narrowboat up to suit all year round life on the cut;
- we may even be able to help you source the right kind of narrowboat to suit you and your circumstances (we have helped some of our past clients save, literally, thousands of pounds).
Boat
Handling Aspects:
What we DO NOT aim to do: If, as a novice, you are looking for a practical 'hands on' and straight forward narrowboat handling course to help get your boat from A to B - then our training is NOT designed to fulfill that function. There are a number of RYA boat handling courses available which can fulfill that function for beginners. From our observations, we would recommend Terry of TR Boat Handling - he is clearly a very proficient boatman (and patient instructor). Willow is a heavy and powerful commercial hotel narrowboat - probably not the best 'hands on' training boat for potentially nervous novices.
What we DO NOT aim to do: If, as a novice, you are looking for a practical 'hands on' and straight forward narrowboat handling course to help get your boat from A to B - then our training is NOT designed to fulfill that function. There are a number of RYA boat handling courses available which can fulfill that function for beginners. From our observations, we would recommend Terry of TR Boat Handling - he is clearly a very proficient boatman (and patient instructor). Willow is a heavy and powerful commercial hotel narrowboat - probably not the best 'hands on' training boat for potentially nervous novices.
What we DO aim to do:
True
advanced narrowboat handling only comes with ongoing practical
experience built on a sound understanding of how and why the boat
reacts as it does to the skipper's commands and the effect of the water
around it. So, the main aim of the boat handling
aspect of our course is to provide
that understanding, with demonstration of some very advanced techniques
to illustrate and prove the theory. Many of the techniques and boating
practices that we recommend descend from the practical methods
historically used on working narrowboats, rather than by adapting
‘seagoing’ techniques to canal use. Even as a relative novice, that
understanding will enable you to apply the principles as your actual
boating experience develops - it gives you the 'ammunition' to
progress in the right direction.
Consultancy Aspects:
We are committed to the continuous cruising liveaboard lifestyle and want to help. Although it isn't exhaustive (there isn't the space here), we have written some brief articles to get your mind working whilst you consider setting up suitable systems for living aboard a narrowboat - follow the link 'Boat Systems'. That information is free for all, whether you come with us for a course or not. We also discuss these aspects, in but in much more depth, during our courses (some call it brain picking). Perhaps a 'consultancy cruise' to get the feel of living aboard would suit. Once you become a client by coming on one of our cruises/courses, we can assist with an email consultancy service to try and iron out specific consultancy queries you may have (that service is also extended to those who are yet to come on a course provided they have already paid their booking deposit). Sorry, but we cannot provide an email consultancy service with those who are not yet clients (we just don't have the time to provide that kind of service) - but do feel free to browse this site (particularly the boat systems pages). You may also be interested in the free articles we have written for canaljunction.com.
We are committed to the continuous cruising liveaboard lifestyle and want to help. Although it isn't exhaustive (there isn't the space here), we have written some brief articles to get your mind working whilst you consider setting up suitable systems for living aboard a narrowboat - follow the link 'Boat Systems'. That information is free for all, whether you come with us for a course or not. We also discuss these aspects, in but in much more depth, during our courses (some call it brain picking). Perhaps a 'consultancy cruise' to get the feel of living aboard would suit. Once you become a client by coming on one of our cruises/courses, we can assist with an email consultancy service to try and iron out specific consultancy queries you may have (that service is also extended to those who are yet to come on a course provided they have already paid their booking deposit). Sorry, but we cannot provide an email consultancy service with those who are not yet clients (we just don't have the time to provide that kind of service) - but do feel free to browse this site (particularly the boat systems pages). You may also be interested in the free articles we have written for canaljunction.com.
Lastly, I have also included
a page
which details
many of the unwritten 'rules of the road'. The original working boatmen
used 'unwritten rules' - because many couldn't read or write anyway. If
you are new to the canals I hope you will find it an interesting read.
The link is canal etiquette.
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